About Us
employment • education • empowerment
FOCUS FORWARD FOR INDIGENOUS YOUTH is a national registered charity that partners with Indigenous communities across the country to empower Indigenous youth by creating meaningful employment and skills development opportunities.
Rooted in the principles of collaboration and cultural relevance, our work is guided by the belief that Indigenous youth hold the power to shape a thriving and self-determined future for themselves and their communities.
Our Approach
Self-determination is at the core of all that we do.
We are a national registered charity working with Indigenous communities on culturally relevant employment and skills development opportunities for Indigenous youth.
We collaborate with community partners to co-develop programming that provides Indigenous youth with opportunities to build new skills, develop a deeper understanding of themselves, create connections and expand their thinking around future education and career paths.
Throughout the programs, youth gain hands-on work experience, earn high school credits and apprenticeship hours and receive a compensation package, all while creating a positive impact for their community. They walk away with new life-skills, an understanding of their own abilities, and a sense of confidence that will set them up for success.
WHAT WE DO
YOUTH FIRST, COMMUNITY DRIVEN
Our programs empower youth with the tools, knowledge, connections, and confidence to thrive on their journeys.
Each program is uniquely shaped by the youth and communities we serve, reflecting community economic goals and cultural traditions, while fostering strong networks through workshops and activities led by Indigenous leaders and mentors.
The programs are typically built around one of two following main streams:
EXPERIENTIAL EMPLOYMENT
● Provides practical employment opportunities to Indigenous youth aimed to offer hands on experience in industries including (but not limited to) construction, retail trade, travel and tourism, agriculture, fishing and hunting, and arts.
● The majority of programs are designed to align with high school course curriculum giving students an opportunity to earn high school credits for their participation.
TRADITIONAL SKILLS & ENTREPRENEURSHIP
● Provides practical employment opportunities to Indigenous youth aimed to offer hands on experience in industries including (but not limited to) construction, retail trade, travel and tourism, agriculture, fishing and hunting, and arts.
● The majority of programs are designed to align with high school course curriculum giving students an opportunity to earn high school credits for their participation.
Our Values
The values that guide our work.
YOUTH FIRST, COMMUNITY DRIVEN
Our programs empower youth with the tools, knowledge, connections, and confidence to thrive on their journeys.
Each program is uniquely shaped by the youth and communities we serve, reflecting community economic goals and cultural traditions, while fostering strong networks through workshops and activities led by Indigenous leaders and mentors.
The programs are typically built around one of two following main streams:
EXPERIENTIAL EMPLOYMENT
● Provides practical employment opportunities to Indigenous youth aimed to offer hands on experience in industries including (but not limited to) construction, retail trade, travel and tourism, agriculture, fishing and hunting, and arts.
● The majority of programs are designed to align with high school course curriculum giving students an opportunity to earn high school credits for their participation.
TRADITIONAL SKILLS & ENTREPRENEURSHIP
● Provides practical employment opportunities to Indigenous youth aimed to offer hands on experience in industries including (but not limited to) construction, retail trade, travel and tourism, agriculture, fishing and hunting, and arts.
● The majority of programs are designed to align with high school course curriculum giving students an opportunity to earn high school credits for their participation.
WHY WE DO IT
INDIGENOUS YOUTH ACROSS THE COUNTRY CONTINUE TO FACE HIGH BARRIERS TO EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT,
resulting from the ongoing effects of colonization, removal from land, systemic inequities and exclusion from economic systems and opportunities, and chronic underfunding. Challenges such as access to transportation, secure housing, appropriate work clothes, and unreliable internet connectivity, compounded by systemic racism and stereotypes, create significant hurdles for youth to overcome.
DESPITE THESE CHALLENGES, INDIGENOUS YOUTH ARE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO BUILD THEIR SKILLS AND ARE ASKING FOR TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES,
as stated by a First Nations youth, “the more skills we have, the more we want to learn and the more confident we feel… the more we feel educated and confident, the more we will be willing and able to work towards building a better future for ourselves and our communities” (Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth 2016:96). Mary, a previous youth participant, shared with us that they believed “all Indigenous youth should have these opportunities” to give back to their communities while gaining employment experience.
Similar to Mary, we believe all Indigenous youth should have full and equitable access to educational and employment opportunities to reach their full potential.
“the more skills we have, the more we want to learn, and the more confident we feel…”
– FIRST NATIONS YOUTH
Our Vision
We envision a world where all Indigenous youth can confidently navigate their futures.
Our Mission
Addressing systemic barriers to employment, skills development and wellness facing Indigenous youth to support the achievement of sustainable livelihoods.
Our mission is to partner with Indigenous communities across the country to empower Indigenous youth to build a thriving, self-determined future for themselves and their communities by creating meaningful employment and skills development opportunities.
Our Mission
Addressing systemic barriers to employment, skills development and wellness facing Indigenous youth to support the achievement of sustainable livelihoods.
We collaborate with Indigenous communities across Turtle Island, empowering youth through community driven skills development programs to support Indigenous youth in defining their future employment pathways.
Our approach honours the whole person. We build autonomy by providing wellness supports and capacity to achieve their life goals.
Our experiential programming supports Indigenous youth in navigating systemic barriers and provides skills to address them.
